National Football League

John McGraw, Andy Reid, And Black Quarterbacks

March 10, 2020

by Independent Texan Male with One Comment Featured Sports

The 2019 National Football League season will go down as a very special football season for many years to come. It was the 100th season of the National Football League in which they announced their 100 greatest players in league history. Secondly, it was the first season in which several Black quarterbacks were amongst the league’s best. With Baltimore Ravens Quarterback, Lamar Jackson winning the NFL MVP and Mahomes being the second Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl MVP, the league showcased what sensible people knew all along: Black quarterbacks are just as capable of leading their teams to victory as White quarterbacks – a mindset that still lingers in some fans, and even worse, some front-office decision-makers.

We’ve come a long way in American sports regarding race. We still have a lot more progress to make on race and gender issues in sports; however, this article will highlight how far we’ve come.

I want to tell the story of a great Baseball manager, John McGraw, and how his story serves as an example of racial progression in sports.

Most people have never heard of the legendary baseball manager John McGraw. McGraw, a man who died in 1934, is still considered “the best player to become a great manager” in baseball history. John played and managed his entire Major League Baseball career without ever having the opportunity to do so with any Black or nonwhite player. Unlike many of his contemporaries, McGraw did follow players and teams of the Negro Leagues. He did so up until his death, in which his wife found in his pocket a list of all the Black players he wanted to sign over the years. McGraw would never come close to being able to sign any Negro League players, for the league would not become integrated until the arrival of Jackie Robinson in 1947.

Unlike John McGraw, Andy Reid’s coaching career is most unique regarding race relations in sports. As mentioned before, the racism surrounding Black quarterbacks has kept hundreds of would-be good Black quarterbacks from being just that, quarterbacks. Which has led, up until very recently, in any given NFL season a handful of black starting quarterbacks.

Since Andy Reid’s coaching debut in 1999 to winning Super Bowl LIV, for the bulk of those years Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, and Patrick Mahomes were his starting quarterbacks. In other words, in an NFL where only a handful of Black Quarterbacks exist, Reid has coached three of them over his entire career. Reid and McGraw are clearly alike, it should be about the players, not the politics.

Hopefully, articles like this won’t be necessary in the upcoming years for the hysteria around Black quarterbacks simply won’t matter, only if he’s got it or if he doesn’t. More importantly, never again will a manager or coach have to go to their grave not being able to sign a player simply because of the color of their skin.

Will Black Quarterbacks Dominate the NFL in 10 Years?

January 6, 2020

by The LCR Editor with 2 Comments Culture Featured Sports

For the first time in NFL history, 4 of the 8 teams headed to the divisional playoffs will be led by Black quarterbacks, including the likely MVP candidate, Lamar Jackson.

Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens are 14-2 and the #1 seed in the AFC. He led the league in touchdown passes (36) this year and broke the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a season (1,206). Told by many that he wouldn’t be able to play QB at the next level, most notably former GM Bill Polian, he defied the odds. Polian finally apologized admitting he was wrong, but still found an excuse to not to vote Jackson to the All-Pro team… a snub to say the least.

(the other three…)

Russell Wilson, who will likely finish second to Jackson in MVP voting this year, is already a 7-time Pro Bowler with a Super Bowl Championship under his belt. At 5’11, he’s not your typical White tall pocket quarterback… but who cares, because all he does is win, and win when it matters… he’s 16-3 in prime-time games and 31-7 after a loss.

Patrick Mahomes, who already has an MVP title in his young career, was one play away from making it to the Super Bowl last year. He threw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns last season, which had only been done once before in NFL history (Peyton Manning). He will likely be the first quarterback in history to sign a $200 million dollar deal.

Last but not least, DeShaun Watson, who might be the most talented of them all, led the Houston Texans back from a 16-0 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Bills in overtime this past weekend in their wildcard playoff game. I’m sure he’ll win an MVP title before his career is over. If you’ve seen Watson play, whether at Clemson or with the Texans, you know he’s special… so special Oakland Raiders HC John Gruden called him Michael Jordan. He’s also not just running around playing backyard football as many commentators like to suggest, he’s a true student of the game.

History should never let us forget that the Chicago Bears traded up to draft Mitch Trubisky ahead of Mahomes and Watson (and Jackson). A decision that has yet to work out and could negatively impact their franchise for a decade.

White GM’s and coaches used to think only White quarterbacks were smart enough to play in the NFL, which led to most (excuse me, all) quarterbacks being White, tall, and traditional pocket passers. Black athletic quarterbacks in college, who could pass from the pocket and also run when the pocket broke down, would be forced to play other positions (such as receiver).

But times change, and equality improves faster than usual when said equality increases revenue for stakeholders. You can argue that improvement has been most evident in sports, specifically at the quarterback position in the NFL.

Not much has changed in the front office in regard to the decision-makers being mostly White men; but, enough or most of them now realize that dual-threat quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson or DeShaun Watson can lead a team at the next level, and win with often complex playbooks that would’ve never been handed over to them 20, 30, or 40 years ago. They also sell more jerseys, boost ratings, and keep fans engaged, despite PR blunders like the Kaepernick situation or really bad officiating that leaves you scratching your head week in and week out.

Considering their success, especially Jackson and Watson, will we see more quarterbacks like them starting in the NFL? YES. The NFL is what you call a copycat league. I’m not sure teams can duplicate the success of the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans with quarterbacks like Jackson and Watson, but they will die trying… and spend a ton of money in the process.

Similar Read: Just Play, We Know What’s Best

Hall-of-Fame Players Weigh in on Myles Garrett, We Should All Take a Listen

November 20, 2019

by The LCR Editor with 2 Comments Featured Sports

Perspectives are important. Last week, shortly after the unfortunate incident occurred at the end of the Browns – Steelers game, 4 NFL Hall of Famer’s weighed in on who Myles Garrett is, and what should happen to him as a result of his actions. While everyone seems to have an opinion on this fight and what should happen to Myles Garrett, very few of us can say we know him personally, and very few can say, “I’ve played in the NFL and have either experienced or seen similar situations play out.”

Well, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson, have a slightly different – less brash reaction than most TV pundits… because they’ve lived it and seen it before.

While we don’t have to agree with them, and maybe they are biased considering their strong affiliations with the NFL as former players or coaches, their experiences and perspectives are unique and important because they’ve been there before, and that credibility can’t be discounted or brushed aside.